In light of current political discourse and upcoming elections (local and national), I feel it is important to explain for clarity what The Daily Iberian’s Opinion page is for.

Now, more than ever, the newspaper’s role in a community is an important one in terms of making sure readers can voice their opinions in a tried and true way…on the Opinion page.

First off the Opinion page is exactly what it suggests, it’s a page that features opinions and should be taken as such. Opinion pages in newspapers go back to colonial times, thereby making them a staple of the past and present means of expressing an opinion to the general public.

In today’s world, readers can understandably get confused between what is fact and what is opinion as both may be presented on the Opinion page. This generally happens when someone is voicing an opinion about a subject and attempts to back it up with data etc. Furthermore, across the nation we (viewers/readers) are inundated with news panels/roundtables on national news channels like CNN or Fox News etc. Typically the subject of a panel/roundtable revolves around politics and current events around the nation and world. Each person participating in the discussion gives their opinion regarding the subject at hand. The discussions can and do become heated as you would expect when politics is the subject. The segments can be insightful and entertaining to watch to say the least. The problem is that some viewers/readers take the opinions being expressed as fact for whatever side they are on. This will not go away and the general public has to be aware of what fact is and what opinion is.

The purpose of The Daily Iberian Opinion page is for a local reader or columnist to express an opinion. Opinions can be on most any subject and it’s easy to submit. All they have to do is send a letter to the editor to The Daily Iberian. Letters can be mailed or emailed and a phone number for the person writing the letter is required so we can confirm its authenticity. If someone objects to what is being written they can offer their opinion as well and submit a letter to the editor. Letters can be mailed to The Daily Iberian, P.O. Box 9290, New Iberia, La 70562 or emailed to news@daily-iberian.com. They can also be dropped off at 124 E. Main St. in beautiful downtown New Iberia. Letters to the editor are FREE, however, if political parties/campaigns wish to submit endorsements there is a $35 charge.

Certainly there are many ways to communicate, however, a newspapers Opinion page takes it to the next level in print and digital formats and is archived where it is searchable for generations to come.

We look forward to reading your letter to the editor.

Ken Harty is the Publisher of The Daily Iberian and Acadiana Lifestyle. He can be reached at kenh@daily-iberian.com